Don't Pay the Ferryman
by RoseWalker
Summary: Heero is on a mission, a mission he may never return from. 1x2, AU,


**Title: **Don't Pay the Ferry Man

**Pairings:** 1x2

**Spoilers: **Only to Greek mythology which I have seriously tampered with. For artistic purposes obviously!

**WARNINGS: **It's for Halloween but nothing scary really ^_^ And only kissing sorry!

**Disclaimer: **GW boys not mine and neither is the Greek mythology… bit before my time really.

**Summary:** Heero is on a mission, a mission he may never return from.

**Notes: **This was inspired by the song 'Don't pay the ferry man' by Chris De Burgh. It was supposed to be written ages ago but my muses ran away! I hope this makes up for my lack of GW writing recently. This was supposed to be for Halloween, but my internet died before I could post it!

The moon hung low in the sky, a white globe on black velvet surrounded by sparkling silver stars. The breeze was warm and lazy and was slowly pulling storm clouds with it. Even with the slight movement in the air, the night was stuffy and silent apart from a distant hoot from an owl. The landscape was barren, rolling hills broken only by an occasional twisted tree. There was one hill that stood out from the others. Craggy and dark, it was a blemish to the rest of the area. There was an unatural stillness hanging in the air, the calm before the storm.

The silence was finally broken by hoof beats. A single rider raced his horse forward, sending dust swirling into the air and creating a ghostly trail behind. He was alone, but it seemed like he was speeding away from an invisible an enemy, a man on the run. As he reached the peak of a hill, he pulled on his reins to bring the horse to a halt. The beast lowered its head, panting hard. Her master had pushed her hard today. But she knew something was happening. Her master was tense and not as attentive as usual. He patted her absent mindedly on her neck.

Finally, the rider lowered the hood of his cloak, looking at the view in front of him. Below them ran a river, a silver scar that tore through the valley. To an unknowing eye, it would seem odd that such an abudance of water should not help grow vegitation in the area. But this river was different. The rider looked down with satisfaction. After all this time, he was finally near his destination. Remebering a map of the area that he had set to his memory, he gazed at the ragged hill ahead, then followed an invisble path downwards until he saw it.

A boat.

Above, the storm clouds had finally caught up with the rider. The gods were unhappy it seemed, or were even playing with him. The heavens opened, releasing their tears, while the weapons of Zeus danced across the sky followed by an almighty boom. Blue eyes remained fixed on the small craft sitting stationary, as if waiting for him.

In the distance a wild dog howled loudly, showing his displeasuere to the storm. The creature was too far away for the rider to worry about, so he ignored it. The mare was a little startled by the howl but it was the storm that set her shivering. That and the river ahead. She didn't like it. It smelt of death. Her rider encouraged her forward but she stood her ground. He dug his heels into her sides. She shook her head and pawed the dust with her hoof. Even when her master tried encouraging her with his voice, she refused and even took a few steps back. Finally the rider dismounted. He walked to the front of the horse and rubbed her nose. He tried to lead her forward once more but she pulled back.

He sighed in defeat. He had nothing left with him worth keeping. It was time for them to separate. He didn't even know if he was coming back from this. It wasn't fair to keep her any longer. She was an intelligent horse, if there was a way back home, she would find it. Home. So far away and he didn't know if he would see that again either. He turned her in the direction they had come and smacked her rump. She trotted away, happy to be moving away from the evil she could sense. She left her master behind, sad to be seperated from the man who had treated her kindly. He watched her go, before turning back to face his quest.

The rain came down harder, bluring the boat from view. It was then that he heard them. Voices. Voices in the rain. They were whispers but very clear almost as if they were right next to him.

"Don't do it. Don't do it Heero."

"Come back to us. Forget this."

"Heero. Please. It isn't that important."

He paused in his steps. That couldn't be possible. His friends were not with him. He left them behind. Left them with everything else. He closed his eyes.

Quatre. His blond friend was a telepath. It could be the only explanation. But this was beyond anything he had ever achieved before.

Trowa. His best friend since they were young boys.

Wufei, the son of his father's guard. They had quickly made friends too. The four of them together had been unbreakable. Until this. How was it that Quatre was able to project all three of their voices?

"Don't pay him Heero." It was Quatre. "Whatever happens, don't pay him." Even when they were apart, his friends would try to protect him. But there was little they could do to help him now. He walked forward again towards his target.

Around the river there was a swirling mist that seemed to cling to his skin. It was almost as if it was holding him back. If he stared at it long enough, he was certain he could see faces within it. He shook his head. It was bad enough that he was hearing his friends, he didn't need to be seeing things too.

As he reached the boat, the mist seemed to part like a curtain, revealing a cloaked figure standing in wait. The hood was drawn over, so no face could be discerned, but Heero could have sworn he saw flash of purple from the darkness. There was very little Heero feared, but there was something about this figure that put him on edge.

He climbed aboard the boat, slightly surprised that it didn't move with his added weight, it was like he was still standing on dry land. Slowly the cloaked figure held out it's hand. Heero looked at it with shock, for all he could see was bones. He swallowed and shook his head.

"I will not pay you until I am taken safely to the other shore." The figure did not reply but started to use the pole it held to push away from the bank. It hardly seemed like they were moving, Heero found it very disconcerting. He looked around him but all he could see was the swirling mist with the ever moving faces, but he would not let fear overtake him.

"Heero Yuy" His eyes grew wide. "Yes, I know who you are." The voice sounded suprisingly warm and deep and as if the owner was smiling. Heero knew that was highly likely considering what he had learned from the hand. "What I do not know is why you have come to the river Styx."

"I am on a mission." Heero replied simply. He certainly did not want to tell this strange figure what he was doing.

"He he he. It is a foolish mission." Again the voice was warm and did something to ease the fear that was building inside of Heero, but he couldn't say why. He had no reason to feel safe, in fact he should be feeling completely the opposite. They lapsed back into silence, the only sound was the breaking of water as the boat cut through it. Either bank could not be seen now, shrouded by the swirling mist.

The air was suddenly spilt by lightning once more and the thunder roared with it. Even then Heero could still hear his friends voices calling his name. Blue eyes glanced out over the water. Watching with morbid fascination, Heero saw skulls and bones shiver and shake and otherworldly moans seemed to escape their jaws. He had never seen anything like it and prayed he never would again. He tried to keep his mind focused on his mission. The hooded figure pointed forward, Heero suddenly noticed that the hand was no longer skelatal, but was covered by wrinkled flesh. When did that happen? Had he imagined the bones after all?

"That is an omen. There are troubled waters ahead. You must pay me or we can go no further." The voice sounded honest, almost pleading and Heero was sorely tempted to offer a coin to the wrinkled hand.

"DON'T" The voice was a shout in his ear. Heero flinched. "You cannot pay him or you will never return." Heero nodded to himself. Quatre was right.

"I will not pay you. We must continue." The violet beneath the hood seemed to flash momentairily.

"Very well. If you insist." Heero didn't like the sound of that reply. It sounded like the owner was scheming. At what though, Heero could not guess. They lapsed back into silence once again. All around them the moans and wails continued.

Heero didn't know how much time had lapsed. The mist still swirled about them, so it was hard to tell what they had even passed, or not. Heero had been lulled by the gentle sound of the pole moving through water. Even the thunder had dimmed to a distant grumble.

"How long have you been here?" Heero asked, suddenly curious. There was a bright laugh before the reply.

"Forever and nothing. Time here doesn't work the same way as in your world. I am as old as the river itself and younger than you at the same time."

"Timeless. Immortal. Such strange and difficult concepts for a mortal to understand." The hooded figure nodded.

"Indeed." There was a brief pause again.

"What do you look like?"

"Pardon?" Now the voice sounded genuinely surprised.

"Under that cloak, what do you look like?"

"Uh…" Heero couldn't help but smile. It was the first time he had heard the voice faulter.

"Come on. What's wrong? Think I will be too terrified that I might die of fright?"

"No, it's just… no one has ever asked that before." Now it was Heero's turn to be surprised.

"Why is that then? I'm curious, I couldn't see why other's wouldn't be." Hands flexed around the pole slightly, a gesture of nervousness. Heero noticed now that the hands appeared smooth. Long pale fingers that seemed almost feminine. They were the most beautiful hands Heero had ever looked at.

"Mostly, they are dead." The voice had quietened now. "The ones that aren't, are either concentrating on their task, too scared or too stuck up."

"I'm sorry about that. But, I am curious, really. Please show me. I promise I won't die." Another laugh, but this time it seemed half hearted. The pole was pulled from the water and rested against the prow of the boat. Slowly the pale hands were raised to the dark hood before pulling it backwards. What was revealed made Heero gasp.

The man beneath the hood was breathtaking. Skin as pale as moonlight. A heart shaped face with high cheekbones and a delicate nose. Lips as pink as a lotus flower, full and smooth. But it was the eyes.

When he opened his eyes, he revealed huge orbs of purple crystal that Heero had never seen the like of. Heero took a moment to gaze at the beautiful creature that had been unveiled before him. The young man reached around the back of his head and pulled something from the back of his cloak. Heero quickly realised it was his hair. A long chestnut braid now lay across his chest, bangs of the same colour framed his face, slightly ruffled from being hidden under the cloak.

"By the gods, you're beautiful." Heero managed to whisper finally. The man blushed. "But when I first got on here you were…"

"A skeleton? Well, can't have everyone trying to get here if they knew a gorgeous man ran the boat into Hades can I? Everyone would be dying to come here. Sorry, that's a terrible joke." Heero smiled. This was definitely not a conversation he had ever considered having.

"Do you have a name?" The man shrugged.

"Many know me as the ferry man. Others know me as Charon. But few know me by my real name, for it is lost within the folds of time."

"Tell me. I want to know." Heero subconciously raised his hand, as if to touch the vison before him. Deep purple eyes gazed at him intently. Heero felt as if he was falling. Those eyes seemed bottomless. He realised he would gladly fall into those eyes forever.

"Why should I tell you my name? What could you give me in return?" Heero moved towards the beatiful man soon found himself wrapped around him, fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck, hip against hip. Blue gazed down just as fiercly.

"Would a kiss suffice?" A brief smile was the only reply, before he closed his eyes and lowered his lips. The kiss was as soft as he imagined. Pliable and receptive but chaste. But it was enough to leave him breathless when they parted.

"The payment is fair."

"I never said it was payment." Heero said a little taken aback. Had he just been tricked?

"My name is Duo. And I'm sorry Heero, but the fee is paid. I cannot let you return."

"What!" Heero wasn't sure what emotion to feel first.

"That is the curse of the ferry man. The payment must be made. This journey is rarely two ways. But I can offer you something in return."

"How about erasing my memory?"Heero replied sadly, looking backwards at the mist. "I don't want to remember anything about my past if I have to stay here." Duo looked a little upset at that.

"I am sorry. I can try to help you forget. If you want? It is not an instant process though." Heero looked at the sincerity in the purple eyes and couldn't help but feel a little more towards the beautiful ferry man. He managed a small smile.

"I already knew I wasn't going back." Duo nodded and Heero felt the boat lurch slightly. He suddenly noticed that they had landed. The mist seemed to clear, parting like curtains, showing beautiful green fields and people laughing and singing happily.

"These are the Elysian Fields." Duo indicated with his hand.

"Am I dead?" Heero asked a little dubiously. Duo smiled kindly.

"No, you are between life, a fine thread, a line between the both. It is very fragile and can easily tip. Come." He stepped onto the land and offered his hand to Heero, who took it. "When I am not ferrying the boat, this is where I live." Heero looked around him, taking in the beauty of the place. Feeling the warm sun against his skin, feeling Duo's warm hand holding his.

"Perhaps… perhaps this isn't so bad." Heero murmured. Duo looked back at him and smiled.

"No, it's not. You have lived a good life, Heero. This is where you will remain. If you wish it, you may remain with me. It would be nice to have someone to talk to." Heero noticed how wistful Duo sounded.

"You're alone here?" Duo gazed out at the fields.

"I ferry dead people into Hades, as I have told you, very few of them talk to me. It would be nice to have company." He looked back at Heero a little shyly. Heero looked back at the boat, then at the man standing in front of him.

"I can't go back, so I would be honoured to stay with you." Duo smiled, tilting his head to the side.

"But what about your quest?" Heero shrugged.

"It was a foolish quest to begin with. I guess I was bored with life, I needed a challenge."

"And now?" Duo encouraged.

"And now… I guess, I realise it doesn't matter. None of it mattered." Duo gave a wide smile that took Heero's breath away.

"Then you can be truly happy here. You will have no reason to pine." Heero smiled in return and then the smile fell. "Something still bothers you." It was a statement, not a question.

"My friends." Heero replied on a breath. "They always looked out for me. I will miss them." Duo placed a hand on Heero's shoulder.

"All men must die. One day, your friends will come here. If they have lived good lives, you will see them once more. But I do give you one warning." Heero frowned at that. "Try to leave this place, try to return or visit other parts of Hades, then that fragile thread I spoke of, will snap. You will be lost forever." Heero nodded. It seemed such a small price. If what was said about the Elysian Fields was true, he would want for nothing and he would be happy. He could not think of a reason why he would want to leave.

"Will you be here with me?"

"When I am not ferrying the boat, yes."

"Then I will remain." Duo smiled at that.

"Thank you." Heero was confused at that, he frowned.

"What for exactly? Shouldn't I be the one to thank you for leting me stay?" Duo looked back at the river, his gaze became distant as he sighed.

"I have a very lonely life. You are the first to show me true kindness and not be afraid of me, like many are. Thank you for staying." Heero grabbed Duo's arm and spun him to glare at him.

"I'm not afraid of you and I'll prove it."

"How could you-" Duo's question was quickly silenced as Heero pulled him into a kiss. It didn't take long for Duo to relax into the kiss and began to reciprocate. "Heero." The name escaped on a breath as they broke apart.

"I can certainly get used to that." Heero whispered back. "And more, if you will let me?" Duo gave a huge smile.

"We have eternity to find out." They moved together for another kiss.

In the back of his mind, Heero thought he could hear his friends crying for him, but he could not join in their sorrow. After all he had searched in life it was only now he had found what his heart had truly desired.

-END-


End file.
